Luxury Beauty Instead of Overseas Travel... Shinsegae International Sales Up 459%

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Shinsegae International announced that sales in the beauty category on its online mall SI Village during the peak vacation period (July 20 to August 9) increased by 459% compared to the same period last year.

Despite the holiday season, the COVID-19 pandemic has effectively prevented overseas travel, leading to a rise in purchases of luxury cosmetics and perfumes online. In particular, online shopping has emerged as a new alternative for customers who used to stock up on high-end cosmetics at duty-free prices when traveling abroad, thanks to various promotions and benefits, resulting in a significant increase in sales.

Among these, niche perfume brands showed the highest growth. During this period, sales of the European luxury perfume brand Byredo on SI Village surged by 926%, while the French niche perfume brand Diptyque saw a 474% increase.

With the unprecedented long rainy season, more people are spending their vacations at home, leading to a noticeable rise in purchases of home fragrance products that make indoor spaces smell pleasant.

The Italian beauty brand Santa Maria Novella recorded a 618% increase in sales compared to the previous year during the same period, driven by fragrance products. Since its launch earlier this year, the diffuser ‘Profumo per Ambiente’ has gained explosive popularity, along with various solid fragrances, potpourri, and scented candles, all ranking within the brand’s top 10 sales.

Additionally, as people spend more time at home, the number of self-beauty enthusiasts seeking professional-level care without visiting high-end esthetics or dermatology clinics has increased, leading to a significant rise in sales of luxury skincare products.

During the same period, online sales of Spain’s premium skincare brand Natura Biss? and the UK luxury skincare brand Eve Lom increased by 970% and 1138%, respectively. Among these, special set products available exclusively online were particularly popular.

Starting from the 17th of this month, SI Village will hold an ‘Untact Fragrance Tasting Event’ tailored to the non-face-to-face consumption pattern that has spread due to COVID-19. For perfumes, a limited number of ‘Untact Scent Kits’ will be sold, allowing customers to smell the fragrance at home and decide on their purchase. If customers choose not to buy, the round-trip shipping cost they paid for returns will be refunded as points.

A Shinsegae International official stated, “The non-face-to-face consumption trend is also reflected in the luxury cosmetics industry, and the proportion of online shopping is steadily increasing. We will provide customers with a special shopping experience through personalized services and price benefits comparable to offline stores.”